LeRoy Francis Nagel

LeRoy Francis "Ted" Nagel was the oldest of eight children born to Gustav and Edith (Gerdes) Nagel. He was born on a farm in Doon, Iowa during the depression, giving him a work ethic that stayed with him throughout his life. His mother taught piano and the eight children were taught to play, and each one also learned to play a musical instrument, forming a family ensemble that played for church suppers and other small town events. Ted played the trumpet and continued playing almost all his life.

Upon graduating from high school, Ted enrolled at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, working his way through school at the Lutheran Hospital in Sioux City. Upon receiving his bachelor's degree, he enrolled at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, but after a few weeks, he was drafted into the army. Ted served in Korea in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, better known as MASH. His training at the Lutheran Hospital helping with anesthesia was put to good use.

When Ted was honorably discharged from the Army, he returned to the University of Iowa where he received his Master's Degree in music. Ted met and married a nurse while he was at the university. They had two children, Cynthia and Jeffrey. After, graduating, Ted taught band in several locations in Iowa, but in 1961, the family moved to California. He was band director in Bakersfield and then in South Pasadena.

As sometimes happens, people can drift apart, and Ted found himself a single father of his two children. But the fates were with him as he was invited to visit his former pastor in Modesto, to meet a widow with three young children. After a long distance courtship, Ted came to Modesto and married Dona Ericson; thus Ted found himself the father of five children instead of two. But Ted was up to the challenge; but challenging it was. Ted and Dona soon decided to never disagree in front of any of their five children; and it worked, as they had been married fifty one and a half years at Ted's passing. Ted changed directions somewhat upon coming to Modesto, and became a classroom teacher at Tuolumne School in Modesto. He also supplemented their income by working summers in the cannery or grading fruit or whatever teachers did in those days. However, with both being teachers, summers also meant traveling to Europe, the British Isles, Scandinavia, as well as visiting many National Parks. Upon retiring in 1990, Ted and Dona dusted off their trumpets and started to play for their church on Sundays. As several more trumpets joined them, that was a lot of trumpets for a small church, so Ted switched for a while to baritone, returning later to trumpet, and Dona made the change to French horn, which she continued. They branched out to join the Gottschalk sponsored New Horizon Band, the MJC -Community band for a couple of years, MO Band for a while, the Oakdale Community Band; and for the thrill of a lifetime, the Gottschalk Concert Band, which played at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Slowing down to play only at church and in the New Horizon Band, they continued with these two groups until covid hit.

Ted was also a member of SIRS (Sons in Retirement), serving as Big Sir, and also as Area Governor of the group. He was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Modesto for many years, serving on the church council numerous times, some of it as President. He also taught Sunday School. Several years ago, they found a church closer to their home in Riverbank, the Riverbank First United Methodist Church, where they soon found themselves once again playing for church. Ted was a true Christian who lived his life as one.

Ted is survived by his wife, Dona; his daughter Cynthia of Temecula; son Jeffery (Laura) of Laguna Niguel; stepsons Brian Ericson of Diamond Springs and Scott Ericson (Kirsten) of Danville, and stepdaughter Diane Bavaro (Nick) of Modesto. He is also survived by grandsons Christopher Mitchell of Orange County; Timothy Mitchell of Thailand; Jonathan Nagel of Berkeley; Christina Colombo (Mike) of Modesto; Eric Bavaro (Paige) of Modesto; Jillian Ericson of Walnut Creek; Elise Ericson and Holland Ericson of Danville; and three great-grandchildren; sisters Eleanor Gibson of Sioux City IA; LuEtta (Joseph) Stuczynski of Omaha, NE; Virginia (Ron) Chenault of Rock Valley, IA; and brother, Edward (Lois) Nagel of Sioux City. He was pre-deceased by sisters Evelyn Koson, Arlene Wissink and Michelle Bahrenfuss.

The family would like to thank Renaissance Care Home and Bristol Hospice for the excellent and compassionate care Ted received.

Services will be held on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 10 a.m.at Lakewood Funeral Home, Heritage Chapel, 900 Santa Fe Avenue, Hughson; viewing at 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Community Hospice 4368 Spyres Way, Modesto, CA, 95356 or to a charity of your choice.